Sermon 100 — One God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in us all

Pfeiffer Sermon 100Middle High German + EnglishAbout this edition

Original Source (Middle High German)

English Translation

Unus deus et pater omnium, qui est super omnes et per omnia et in omnibus nobis (Ephes. IV, 6.).

Ich hân ein wörtelîn gesprochen, daz sprichet sanctus Paulus ‘ein got und ein vater aller, der dâ ist gebenedict ob allen unde durch alle und in uns allen.’ Ein ander wort nim ich ûz dem êwangelio, daz unser herre sprichet ‘friunt, ganc ûf baz.’

In dem êrsten, daz sanctus Paulus sprichet ‘ein got unde vater aller’, dâ geswiget er eines wörtelînes, daz treit in sich ein anderunge, dâ er sprichet: ein got. Got ist ein in sich selben unde gesundert von allen. Got der gehoeret nieman zuo und ime gehoeret nieman zuo, got ist ein. Boethius sprichet: got ist ein unde verwandelt sich niht. Allez, daz got ie beschuof, daz beschuof er in wandelunge. Alliu dinc sô si beschaffen werdent, sô tragent sie ûf in wandelunge. Daz meinet, daz wir ein süllen sîn in uns selben unde gesundert von allen. Stête und unbeweget süllen wir gote ein sîn. Ûzer got enist niht wan niht alleine. Dar umbe ist ez unmügelich, daz in got iht müge gevallen anderunge oder wandelunge. Swaz ûzer im suochet ein ander stat, daz andert sich. Got hât alliu dinc in im in einer volmenheit; dar umbe suochet er niht ûzer ime selben, wan ez in der vollede in got ist. Als ez got in ime treit daz enkan dehein crêatûre begrîfen.

Unus deus et pater omnium, qui est super omnes et per omnia et in omnibus nobis (Ephes. IV, 6.).

I have spoken a little word that Saint Paul says: “One God and one Father of all, who is blessed above all and through all and in us all.” Another word I take from the Gospel, which our Lord says: “Friend, go up higher.”

In the first, where Saint Paul says “one God and Father of all,” he leaves aside one little word that carries alteration in itself, when he says: one God. God is one in himself and separate from all. God belongs to no one, and no one belongs to him; God is one. Boethius says: God is one and does not change. Everything that God ever created, he created subject to change. All things, as they are created, carry change upon them. This means that we should be one in ourselves and separate from all. Steadfast and unmoved, we should be one with God. Outside God there is nothing but nothing. Therefore it is impossible that any alteration or change could befall God. Whatever seeks another place outside him changes. God has all things in him in a fullness; therefore he seeks nothing outside himself, for it is in fullness in God. As God bears it in himself, no creature can comprehend it.

Ein ander lêrer der sprichet: vater aller, dû bist gebenedict. Daz wort treit iezuo ein anderunge in sich; dâ er sprichet vater, dâ sîn wir iezuo kint. Ist er unser vater, sô sîn wir sîniu kint, sô gêt uns ze herzen ze begernne sîne êre. Ez sprichet unser herre ‘sêlic sint, die reines herzen sint, wan sie süllen got beschouwen.’ Daz ist reinekeit des herzen, daz gesundert unde gereinet ist von allen lîplichen dingen unde gesamenet in sich selben unde die ûz der lûterkeit sich werfent in got unde dâ vereiniget werdent.

Dâvît sprichet ‘diu werc sint lûter und unschuldic, diu dâ loufent unde vollebrâht werdent in dem liehte der sêle’; unde diu sint noch unschuldiger, diu dâ inne belîbent innewendic und in dem geiste unde niht her ûz koment. ‘Ein got und ein vater aller.’

Another teacher says: “Father of all, you are blessed.” This word now carries alteration in itself; when he says “Father,” we are at once children. If he is our Father, then we are his children, and it goes to our heart to desire his honor. Our Lord says: “Blessed are those who are pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Purity of heart is this: to be separated and purified from all bodily things, gathered into oneself, and out of purity to cast oneself into God and there become united.

David says: “Those works are pure and innocent that run and are brought to completion in the light of the soul”; and those are still more innocent that remain inwardly, within and in the spirit, and do not come forth. “One God and one Father of all.”

Daz ander wort, daz er sprichet ‘friunt, kum ûf baz, ziuch dich hoeher.’ Ich mache von zwein ein. Daz er sprichet ‘friunt, kum ûf baz unde ziuch dich hoeher’, daz ist ein kôsen der sêle mit gote, daz er sprichet ‘friunt, ziuch dich hoeher unde kum ûf baz’, und ir wart geantwürtet: ein vater unde got aller. Ein meister sprichet: friuntschaft lît in willen. Alse verre friuntschaft in willen lît, sô eneiniget si niht. Minne einiget niht: si einiget wol an eime werke, niht an eime wesen. Dar umbe sprichet si alleine ‘ein got, kum ûf baz, ziuch dich hoeher.’ In den grunt der sêle enmac niht denne lûter gotes.

Dannoch der oberste engel, swie nâhe er gote ist unde swie vil er gotes minne habe (sîniu werc sint stête in gote an einem wesen niht an einem werke; er hât ein inneblîben in gote und ein stête mitewonen), swie edel der engel ist, sô ist doch wunder, doch enmac er in die sêle niht. Ein meister sprichet: alle crêatûre, die underscheidunge hânt, die sint des wirdic, daz got selbe in in würke. Diu sêle, dâ si obe dem lîchamen ist, dâ ist si sô lûter unde sô zart, daz si niht enminnet denne blôz lûter gotheit. Dannoch mac dar în niht, im enwerde abe genomen allez, daz zuo geleit ist. Dar umbe wart ir geantwürtet ‘ein got.’

The other word that he says is: “Friend, come up higher, draw yourself higher.” I make one out of two. When he says, “Friend, come up higher and draw yourself higher,” this is a conversation of the soul with God, when he says, “Friend, draw yourself higher and come up higher,” and she was answered: “One Father and God of all.” A master says: friendship lies in the will. Insofar as friendship lies in the will, it does not unite. Love does not unite; it indeed unites in an act, but not in being. Therefore it says simply: “One God; come up higher, draw yourself higher.” Into the ground of the soul nothing can enter but pure God.

Even the highest angel, however near he is to God and however much love of God he has (his works are steadfast in God, in being and not merely in an act; he has an abiding in God and a constant dwelling with him), however noble the angel is, wondrous though this is, he still cannot enter the soul. A master says: all creatures that have distinction are worthy that God himself should work in them. The soul, where she is above the body, is so pure and so delicate that she loves nothing but bare, pure Godhead. Yet nothing can enter there unless everything that has been added to it is taken away. Therefore she was answered: “One God.”

Sanctus Paulus sprichet ‘ein got.’ Ein ist etwaz lûters denne güete unde wârheit. Güete unde wârheit legent iht zuo, sie legent zuo in eime gedanke; dâ ez bedâht wirt, dâ lît ez zuo. Ein leit niht zuo, dâ er in sich selber ist ûz fliezende in den sun und in den heiligen geist. Dar umbe sprach er ‘friunt, ziuch dich hoeher.’ Ein meister sprichet: ein ist ein versagendez versage. Spriche ich, got ist guot, daz leit etwaz zuo. Ein ist ein versagendez versagen und ein verlangendez verlangen. Waz meinet ein? da niht zuo ist geleit. Diu sêle nimet die gotheit, als si in ir geliutert ist, dâ niht zuo geleit ist, dâ niht bedâht ist. Ein ist versagen des versagennes. Alle crêatûre habent ein versagen in in selben; einiu verseit, daz si diu ander niht ensî; ein engel verseit, daz er niht ein ander crêatûre sî. Aber got hât ein versagen versagennes, er ist ein unde verseit alle ander, wan niht ûzer got enist. Alle crêatûr sint in gote unde sint sîn selbes gotheit, unde meinet ein erfüllende. Er ist ein vater aller gotheit. Dar umbe ein gotheit, dâ niht ûzfliezende ist unde niendert rüeret noch bedâht ist ein wort. In dem daz ich gote versage etwaz (versage ich gote güete, ich enmac got niht versagen), in dem daz ich got versage, dâ begrîfe ich etwaz von im, daz er niht enist; daz selbe muoz abe. Got ist ein, er ist ein versagen des versagennes. Ein meister sprichet, engelischiu nâtûre behabe deheine kraft noch dehein werc, si enwîzze niht dan got aleine. Swaz anders ist, dâ enweiz si niht von. Dar umbe sprach er ‘ein got unde vater aller.’

Etliche krefte der sêle nement von ûzen, als daz ouge, swie kleine daz in sich ziehe und abe spalte daz grôz ist; dannoch waz zuoversiht hât und etwaz nimet von ûzen, als hie unde nû. Aber verstantnisse unde vernünftekeit die schelent alzemâle abe unde nement, dâ noch hie noch nû enist. In der wîte rüeret si gelîch nâtûre; dannoch nimt si von sinnen, daz die sinne von ûzen in tragent, dâ von nimt vernünftekeit. Des entuot der wille niht; in dem stücke ist der wille edeler denne vernünftekeit. Wille nimet niende denn in lûter verstantnüsse, dâ noch hie noch nû enist. Got wil sprechen, wie hôch unde lûter der wille sî. Er muoz ûf baz, dâ ist ein widerkôsen, daz got sprichet ‘friunt, stîg ûf baz, sô geschiht dir êre.’

Saint Paul says: “One God.” One is something purer than goodness and truth. Goodness and truth add something; they add in thought, and where it is thought, something is added. One adds nothing, where he is in himself, flowing forth into the Son and the Holy Spirit. Therefore he said: “Friend, draw yourself higher.” A master says: One is a negating negation. If I say God is good, that adds something. One is a negating negation and a desiring desire. What does One mean? That to which nothing is added. The soul receives the Godhead insofar as she is purified in herself, where nothing is added and nothing is thought. One is negation of negation. All creatures have a negation in themselves; one negates that it is the other; an angel negates that it is another creature. But God has a negation of negation; he is one and negates all else, for outside God there is nothing. All creatures are in God and are his own Godhead, and this signifies a fullness. He is one Father of all Godhead. Therefore there is one Godhead, where there is no outflowing and no word stirs anywhere or is conceived. Insofar as I deny something of God (if I deny goodness to God, I cannot deny God), in denying something of God I grasp something of him that he is not; that too must fall away. God is one; he is a negation of negation. A master says that the angelic nature has neither power nor work; it knows nothing but God alone. Whatever else there is, it knows nothing of it. Therefore he said: “One God and Father of all.”

Some powers of the soul receive from without, such as the eye. However subtle what it draws into itself, however much it strips away what is coarse, it still receives something from without that has regard to here and now. But understanding and intellect strip everything away and receive where there is neither here nor now. In this breadth intellect touches a nature like itself; yet it still receives from the senses what the senses bring in from without, and intellect takes from that. The will does not do this; in this respect the will is nobler than intellect. Will receives only in pure understanding, where there is neither here nor now. God means to say how high and pure the will is. It must go up higher; there is an answering conversation, in which God says: “Friend, climb up higher, then honor shall befall you.”

Der wille wil sêlikeit. Ez wart gefrâget, waz underscheides wêre zwischen gnâde unde sêlikeit. Genâde, als wir nû in dem leben sîn, unde sêlikeit, die wir dar nâch süllen haben in dem êwigen leben, die habent sich zesamene als die bluomen zuo der fruht. Swenne diu sêle alzemâle vol genâden ist und ir niht über blîbet, genâde würke unde vollebringe allez, daz in der sêle ist, sô kumt ez doch niht allez ze werken, aber als ez in der sêle ist, swaz diu sêle würken sol, daz diu gnâde daz volbringe. Genâde würket dehein werc, wan algiezende gizet si alzemâle in die sêle. Diu dritte genâde diu eineget die sêle mit gote. Daz ist ein vollebringen, daz ist ir werc, daz si die sêle ze gote wider bringet; dâ wirt ir diu fruht von den bluomen. Wille, als er sêlikeit wil und als er mit gote wil sîn und er alsô ûf gezogen ist, in der lûterkeit sliufet got in den willen, und alsô lûter vernünftekeit got nimet, als er ein wârheit ist, alsô sliufet got wol in vernünftekeit. Aber als er in den willen sliufet, sô muoz er ûf baz. Dar umbe sprichet er ‘ein got. friunt, stîg ûf baz.’

Ein got: in dem daz got ein ist, sô ist vollebrâht gotes gotheit. Got enmöhte niemer gebrn sînen einbornen sun, wêre er niht ein. In dem daz got ein ist, in dem nimet er allez, daz er würket an crêatûren und an gotheit. Einekeit hât got alleine; gotes eigenschaft ist einekeit; an dem nimet got, daz er ein got ist, er enwêre anders got niht. Gotes rîchtuom unde wîsheit unde wârheit ist alzemâle ein in gote; ez enist niht ein, ez ist einekeit. Got hât allez, daz er hât, in im, ez ist ein mit im. Die meister sprechent, der himel loufet umbe, daz er alliu dinc in ein bringe; dar umbe loufet er alsô balde. Er sprach ‘friunt, stîg ûf baz, sô geschiht dir êre.’ Ez ist der sêle êre unde gezier, daz got ein ist. Got tuot, als er dar umbe alleine sî, daz er der sêle gevalle unde wie er sich gesmucke dar zuo, daz er die sêle ziehe alleine an sich. Dar umbe wil der mensche nû einez, nû ein anderz; nû üebet er sich an wîsheit, nû an kunst. Wenne si des einen niht enhât, dar umbe geruowet diu sêle niemer, si werde al ein in gote. Got ist ein; daz ist der sêle sêlikeit und ir gezier und ir ruowe. Ein meister sprichet: got ordent in sînem werke alliu dinc. Diu sêle ist alliu dinc und in allen dingen daz edelste unde daz hœhste, daz got giuzet alzemâle în; got ist ein.

The will wills blessedness. It was asked what the difference was between grace and blessedness. Grace, as we now have it in this life, and blessedness, which we shall afterward have in eternal life, stand to one another as the flower to the fruit. When the soul is wholly full of grace and nothing remains over, grace works and brings to completion all that is in the soul; yet not everything thereby comes into operation as it is in the soul; rather, whatever the soul is to work, grace brings to completion. Grace performs no work; rather, it pours itself wholly and all at once into the soul. The third grace unites the soul with God. This is a fulfillment; this is its work, that it brings the soul back to God; there the fruit comes from the flowers. The will, insofar as it wills blessedness and wills to be with God and is thus drawn upward, in this purity God slips into the will; and just as pure intellect receives God insofar as he is truth, so too God slips into intellect. But when God slips into the will, the will must go up higher. Therefore he says: “One God. Friend, climb up higher.”

One God: insofar as God is one, God’s Godhead is brought to completion. God could never beget his only-begotten Son if he were not one. Insofar as God is one, from this he derives all that he works in creatures and in the Godhead. God alone has unity; unity is God’s property; from this God derives that he is one God, otherwise he would not be God. God’s riches and wisdom and truth are wholly one in God; it is not one, it is unity. God has all that he has in himself; it is one with him. The masters say that heaven revolves in order to bring all things into one; therefore it revolves so swiftly. He said: “Friend, climb up higher, then honor shall befall you.” It is the soul’s honor and adornment that God is one. God acts as though he existed for this alone, that he might please the soul, and as though he adorned himself for this, that he might draw the soul solely to himself. Therefore a man now desires one thing, now another; now he exercises himself in wisdom, now in knowledge. Because the soul does not have the One, it never rests until it becomes entirely one in God. God is one; that is the soul’s blessedness and her adornment and her rest. A master says: God orders all things in his work. The soul is all things and, among all things, the noblest and highest, into which God pours himself wholly; God is one.